It was always you
by xxlovely
Summary: One-shot. Nitchie. Give it a read, a summary would spoil it! R


I lay there for the fourteenth consecutive night just staring into space thinking. Thinking about her. The way she'd bite her lip when she was nervous, her laugh that filled the whole room with joy, her smile that made my heart skip a beat. Sure I'd noticed all these things before hand, but it wasn't until he asked her out, that I realised, that I Nate Black was truly, madly and uncontrollably in love with Mitchie Torres.

Sure, I may have had a little crush on her, but I was oblivious to just how much she meant to me. I've never been the jealous type, but I envied Shane. He had everything. He had her. Don't get me wrong Shane was my best friend but I couldn't help but want his life. He always got exactly what he wanted. He had this confidence; some may call it arrogance, which got him exactly what and where he wanted, where as me? I'm just a shy, safe-playing, reliable guy who if always faced with solving everyone's problems, but when it comes to mine, I'm on my own. That was until this morning though, Jason came up to me, demanding to know why I had been such a pessimistic ass for the past couple of days. I simply ignored him, yet he kept going on and on, until I blurted it out 'I LOVE MITCHIE. BUT WHAT DOES IT EVEN MATTER. SHE'S SHANE'S. SHE'LL NEVER FEEL THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT HER, THAT'S WHATS WRONG. HAPPY NOW?' I remember just watching his expression change from shock to empathy . he told me it would be our secret, but that i needed to get over her, as in his words "i'm not in her league." I guess he's right.

I tried to focus my mind on anything but her when suddenly I heard a knock at my apartment door. I sighed as i quickly glared at the alarm clock, who the hell was knocking at my door at 2:45 am?! They knocked again, "hold on I'm coming" i grunted as I unwilling rolled off my bed. I stumped towards the door trying not to fall over anything in the process. I opened the door; my eyes squinted at the adjustment of the light.

"Hi..." the voice said quietly. I knew that voice, it was...Mitchie?

"Mitchie?!" I said, now opening my eyes to see her standing in front of me expressionless. She didn't say anything. "What are you doing here at this time?" She passed me slowly pushing me to the side as she entered my apartment and sat down on the sofa.

I cautiously closed the door and made my way to the chair opposite her, turning on a dim lamp in the process. I repeated my question "What are you doing here?" I hesitantly waited for an answer , yet still no answer. Concern was building up inside of me, "What's wrong? Is it Shane? Your parents? Jason?" By now numerous situations were running through my head, her expression was so unreadable i didn't know what possibly could be the matter.

"I know." She finally said after what seemed to be an eternity of silence. My expression showed my confusion

"What?" I asked, now completely and utterly bemused.

"I know." She simply repeated, in the same mono-tonal voice

"What? What do you know?"

"Jason told me." OH MY GOD. He wouldn't would he? I know he's not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree but surely, surely he has more sense.

"Told you what?" i asked, acting like i was completely oblivious to what Jason could of possibly told her.

For the first time since her arrival a good 15 minutes ago, she looked directly at me, shifting her position on the sofa slightly. "About you...having ...feelings for me" her voice was s quiet, barely audible. I moved my focus to a spot on the floor "why didn't you tell me?"

I didn't reply. I wanted to but I simply couldn't, I didn't know what to say, I had been caught off guard. Now it was her turn to repeat a question. "Nate." Her tone slightly more serious and stable then before "Why didn't you tell me?" I raised my head, seeing a single tear fall down her cheek. Her eyes pleading for an answer.

"I-I- don't know" I sighed heavily as i stood up and walked towards the window staring out at the light falling of snow, my back to her. "He wasn't supposed to tell you... "

"Don't you think i have the right to know?" she stands up also, a slight anger now evident in her voice. "i don't get it Nate, why didn't you tell me before? We're meant to be friends..."

"And that's why. Because we're friends. I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want to lose you, or Shane for that matter. I've seen the way you look at each other, and I can't stand in between that, however much I'm hurting. I couldn't face being rejected, the awkwardness between us because you'd know how I feel and that you didn't feel the same. and slowly as each day passed, we'd become more and more distant because I would be seen as a potential home wrecker."

As much as i wanted to turn around and she her reaction i kept my focus on the scene outside. I felt her move closer, now standing a few steps behind me, as she said in such a calm voice "why do you think that would happen?" I raised an eyebrow trying to make sense of her ambiguous question. I turned around and looked deep into her brown eyes, seeing for the first time the dark rings under them, she must have gotten as much sleep as i had.

"That what would happen?"

"That you'd be rejected? That the feelings were only one sided? That we'd break apart?" What was she trying to say?

"I don't understand Mitchie"

She took one step forward, i could now feel her breath on my face "Nate....ever since I first saw you, you made me weak at the knees. I would purposely seek you out, just to see your face, to be in your presence, and when i wasn't i was wondering where you were and if you were okay. My songs, are about you, i wake up thinking of you and you're the last thought as i shut my eyes."

I couldn't believe what i was hearing? Was the love of my life Mitchie admitting that she liked me? "But what about Shane?" i asked, really not caring about him at this moment in time

"Don't get me wrong I love him "My heart sunk "But, I'm not in love with him, i guess i was so lonely and empty that him asking me out was a way to feel this gaping hole in my heart. But know i know. Before i came here i ended it with Shane, surprisingly he took it well, he said that sub consciously he knew about our feelings but hoped we didn't."

I must be dreaming, that in a minute ill wake up in a cold sweat, cursing myself for dreaming such unrealistic scenario's. I pinched my arm, she noticed, smiling slightly "What are you doing?"she asked, she must think i'm crazy

"Checking if i'm asleep "

She stepped towards me, closing the gap in between us, our faces, centimetres apart, she leaned in and placed her lips upon mine, before I reluctantly pulled away.

I smiled "So you never loved Shane?"

She shook her head lightly "It's always been you."


End file.
